1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a story branching control method, a notification signal generating method, a program executing apparatus, a record medium having recorded therein a processing program, and a processing program, to be preferable for a game system such as a video game in which, for example, a story is branched.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in which entertainment apparatuses such as video game machines have been spread, the player is allowed to enjoy a variety of games by having an entertainment apparatus execute a game application program obtained via a record medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM or a communication medium such as a communication line or network. In a game application program such as an RPG (roll playing game), an AVG (adventure game), or an SLG (simulation game), a story is advanced in accordance with a player's instruction received via a controller connected to an entertainment apparatus, whereas the game application program is adapted to respond to the content of the player's instruction by changing the content of the story to be developed thereafter. Therefore, in a story branching game of this kind, the player can enjoy a variety of developments of story in accordance with the content of one's own instruction.
Typically, a story branching game of such a kind is adapted for a television monitor apparatus to display on a monitor screen thereof a game image frame indicating a picture (a preformed game picture) representing a developed story in accordance with the content of a player's instruction, a select image frame (such as of selective actions or lines) for a development of story to be selected by a player via a controller, and such a title image frame as for a narration to be indicated of a picture in the game picture frame, as necessary. In the case of such a game as having a nature of an action game, for example, in a game application program, besides the selective development of a story, there is displayed an instruction image frame such as of arrow marks and buttons operative by a player. If operations are performed by the player as indicated from the game application program, as the operations are successful, the game application program makes the story advance. On the other hand, to the contrary, if the player has failed in operation, the game application program counts the mistake. Further, the game application program is adapted, for example, to make the game over with a count of mistakes having reached a predetermined number, or to come to an end immediately after the failure.
In the course described, in which a select image frame is displayed for a player to select a story's development and the story of game is changed in accordance with a picture selected from inside the select image frame by the player, it however so occurs that the player is caused to recognize what he or she has selected, and is allowed to predict a subsequent development of the story to some extent. There may thus be resulted a degradation of such an unexpectedness that an unknown story may be experienced.
Further, in the story branching game described, which is adapted at a branching point where the story's development is branched, to display the select image frame as well as the title image frame or the like and to make a request for selections corresponding thereto, it so follows that a player who wants to enjoy, for example, a flow of the story is precluded in the enjoyment. On the other hand, for a player who wants to enjoy branching a story's development, as the concentration on a game image frame is thinned when the select image frame is not displayed, it is difficult to play a game with a tensioned feeling.